The number of human H5N1 avian influenza cases continue to climb in Egypt this month as the Egyptian Health ministry announced the ninth and tenth case of the dangerous disease in a press release today (computer translated).
Image/Cynthia Goldsmith/ Jackie Katz
The two cases are as follows: A 26-year-old man from a village in Mallawi district of Minya who was suffering from fever, cough and shortness of breath after exposure to birds. He was isolated in the hospital on Nov. 30 and died on Dec. 1.
The second case is a 33-year-old from Parit Buntar Suhag governorate who and was suffering from fever, cough and shortness of breath and was isolated in a private hospital. He is currently on a ventilator and in stable condition.
The addition of these two cases bring the number reported by the Egyptian MOH in 2014 to 14. A 15th case was reported by the Ministry of Health of Beheira governorate earlier this year.
According to the WHO, the primary risk factor for human infection with the virus appears to be direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments.
They go on to say there is no evidence to suggest that the H5N1 virus can be transmitted to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs. A few human cases have been linked to consumption of dishes made of raw, contaminated poultry blood. However, slaughter, defeathering, handling carcasses of infected poultry, and preparing poultry for consumption, especially in household settings, are likely to be risk factors.
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